1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat exchanger and also a method for manufacturing a heat exchanger.
2. Description of the Background Art
Electrical, electronic, and electrochemical components, such as batteries for example, are subject to operating temperature limits, as are nearly all technical objects. Depending on the structural shape and implementation of the components, considerable temperature ranges can be handled in some cases, although this usually entails high costs.
Electrochemical storage media prove to be especially sensitive to thermal stresses; efforts are made to maintain component temperatures within narrow limits in order to guarantee adequate service life and functionality even under adverse environmental conditions. Li-ion battery cells, in particular, can be significantly impaired with regard to their service life at excessively high operating temperatures so that it is preferable to strive for core temperatures that require cooling with a coolant whose temperature is significantly below common ambient temperatures.
To cool components of a vehicle, especially a battery in a motor vehicle, a heat exchanger should be used. In order to facilitate optimal integration into a vehicle, the heat exchanger should have the smallest possible installation space requirement and have a uniform temperature distribution on the cooling surface.
As a general rule, battery cooling plates are primarily built in layered sheet or two-layer designs, where the coolant flows through channel plates in a specific flow field.
In the case of both layered sheet and two-layer designs, mass production can only be accomplished by means of stamping or embossing tools, which in turn are suitable only for specific workpiece sizes. If a different cooler size is to be produced, one must use new stamping or embossing tools for the purpose; there is thus no flexibility in production, and consequently there are no favorable costs for small to intermediate quantities.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,619,557 B1, a high-efficiency system for the thermoregulation of a room by silent radiant panels, particularly equipped to operate as doors, is disclosed.